1. Support to community based initiatives for market driven income and employment generation in rural areas in Azerbaijan/ DL: 21.02.2017

Within the framework of the EU-financed Support to Regional and Rural Development Programme (SRRD) in Azerbaijan, the global objective of this call for proposals is to foster economic regeneration and job creation in rural areas of Azerbaijan.

The specific objective is to promote community based initiatives for market-driven income and employment generation in Azerbaijani rural areas, by targeting small holder farm producers, agricultural/community based rural groups and associations, small producers of handicraft and other other agricultural value chain actors (such as input suppliers, storage owners, traders).

The total allocated budget is EUR 4,372,600.

Proposals must be submitted no later than February 21, 2017.

Actions must support community based initiatives that generate market-driven income and employment in rural areas of Azerbaijan. This can, for instance, be done through targeted interventions in the area of agriculture, rural development, tourism, handicrafts, carpet weaving, small manufacture and agro-processing.

More details on the eligibility criteria and on the application procedure can be found here.

2. Support to regional development in Georgia – Applied Research Facility (Phase II)/ DL: 20.02.2017

The present Call for proposals, launched under the SRC Support ot Regional Development in Georgia, is intended to support regional development policy and planning via improvement of research and analytical capacities on regional development among relevant stakeholders at the state and regional level; ensuring integrated approaches and synergies between policies on regional development, urban and rural development, spatial planning; identification of additional funding instruments; examine new investment opportunities to foster rapid development and competitiveness across Georgian regions.

The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 500,000.

Non-governmental organisations, think-tanks and academic institutions based in Georgia are welcomed to apply.

Actions should be based in Georgia and be focused on the comprehensive research in providing support to the priority areas under regional development and other related sectors, as follows: enhancing the role and competitiveness of regions to boost rapid economic growth; improving the quality of life in regions and encouraging the diversification of local economic activities; improving planning practices and capacities of national and sub-national authorities to increase the efficiency and high returns on public and donor investments.

In the context of the European Union’s „Civil Society Facility” programme in Turkey, the aim of this Call for Proposals is to strengthen the capacities of existing or new national, regional, local and/or thematic platforms and networks of CSOs in Turkey, actively participating in public debate on democracy, human rights, social inclusion and the rule of law and with capacity to influence policy and decision making processes.

Priority will be given to actions that support right-based activities of networks and platforms; give a special importance to cross-cutting issues such as the promotion of gender equality, human rights, democracy and respect for the rule of law, children rights, environment and climate change, etc.; are proposed by networks and platforms whose members are spread all over Turkey.

The overall indicative amount made available is EUR 2.000.000.

Actions must be implemented in Turkey and may focus on: monitoring of fundamental rights & freedoms and of public policy reforms/public action in general; advocacy / participation to policy making processes at various levels; outreach, mobilisation and communication towards members and citizens; organisational and institutional capacity-building.

Those interested may submit their proposals by the 3rd of February 2017.